Scottish Executive

Access for Disabled People

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to GPs, dentists and pharmacists to ensure that their premises comply with new disabilities legislation.

Malcolm Chisholm: GPs, general dental practitioners and community pharmacists are independent contractors to NHS Scotland and it is their responsibility as service providers to comply with all relevant legislation relating to access by disabled people.

  NHS boards are currently conducting comprehensive access audits of all health care premises, including services provided through independent contractors, and the results will be shared with the contractors concerned.

  NHS boards are able to support, at their discretion, GPs seeking to improve their premises or to relocate, through an improvement grant scheme and rent and rates schemes.

  General dental practitioners have access to funding through a practice improvement allowance, whilst community pharmacists have access to a specific premises improvement fund that is administered through health boards.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of usage of the rail station at Glasgow Prestwick International Airport has been in each month since 1999 and what plans there are to increase the capacity or frequency of this rail service.

Nicol Stephen: Information on passenger patronage at Prestwick Airport station is not held centrally. The proposed rail link to Glasgow Airport will require new infrastructure and service configuration that may create opportunities to enhance capacity and services on the Glasgow/Ayrshire line. Service frequency to and from Prestwick is a matter for Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether support from the interim route development fund for an air link between Scotland and Shannon Airport has been rejected and what the reasons are for the position on this matter and whether the route qualified for support and, if so, on what criteria.

Nicol Stephen: No application has been made for a route to Shannon Airport.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will create a permanent rather than interim route development fund; if so, what the timetable for the fund’s operation will be and whether any changes to the fund, in particular in the structure, qualification and funding available, will be proposed.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive is currently considering the future operation and structure of the interim route development fund in Scotland.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what routes have been given aid under the interim route development fund since the fund was established; what the purpose of each application to the fund was, and what sums were awarded in each case.

Nicol Stephen: The four routes which have been approved so far are:

  Edinburgh to Cologne

  Edinburgh to Jersey

  Glasgow Prestwick to Skavsta (Stockholm)

  Glasgow Prestwick to Girona.

  The applications were for the start-up of new direct air services.

  Details of the applications and sums awarded are commercially confidential. The scale of investment will depend on actual passenger numbers and any increase in frequencies.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether consultants were hired to deal with the implementation of the interim route development fund; if so, which consultants were hired and by whom; what the cost of each consultancy was in terms of fees and tendering process, and what specification was imposed in the agreed contract

Nicol Stephen: Scottish Enterprise, which is administering the Interim Route Development Fund on behalf of the Executive, hired the following consultants to support the fund after advertising/tendering in the Official Journal of the European Communities :

  Aviasolutions to act as project managers

  York Aviation to prepare an economic evaluation of routes

  Booz Allen Hamilton to prepare a strategic study.

  The terms of these contracts, including the fees, are commercially confidential.

Autism

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether research will be carried out into any link between autism and vaccines containing mercury.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether research will be undertaken to examine levels of toxins and mercury build-up in children with autistic spectrum disorder in order to ascertain any potential link between such levels and autism.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. CSO is contributing £0.25 million to the £2.75 million which the Medical Research Council (MRC) has been given to take forward the research agenda set out in the MRC Review of Autism. The MRC has organised four fora to encourage interested, eligible researchers to submit high-quality proposals for research in areas that have been highlighted in the review. Research proposals into an hypothesised link between autism and vaccines containing mercury will be eligible to compete for funding from the MRC.

Autism

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have been diagnosed as having an autistic spectrum disorder, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information requested is not held centrally, although the child health team within Information and Statistics Division Scotland is working towards obtaining this data in the medium term.

Birds

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make black game a protected species as part of the legislation on nature conservation referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

Allan Wilson: The draft Nature Conservation Bill outlines proposals to protect lek sites, crucial to the breeding success of capercaillie and black game (grouse). There is currently no intention to give black game (grouse) further protection as part of the legislation referred to.

Birds

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to undertake a study into the numbers of black game and how best to protect the birds in future.

Allan Wilson: A great deal of research on black grouse has been carried out by conservation organisations, informing the recommendations for protection of black grouse in the Species Action Plan.

  Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), in partnership with other conservation bodies, undertakes national and site-based surveys of a wide range of protected species. I understand from SNH that there will be a national survey of black grouse, to enable further consideration of changes in status and management practices. SNH expect that the survey will be conducted in 2005-06. The last national survey was in 1995-96, when it was estimated that there were 6,510 lekking male black grouse in the UK.

Birds

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in the light of black game being listed in the UK Biodiversity species action plan as a bird in need of protection.

Allan Wilson: The Black Grouse Species Action Plan Group was formed to implement the actions given in the Biodiversity Action Plan for this species.

  A wide range of measures are being applied to protect black grouse.

  These include the appointment of project officers, concerned with woodland grouse in the Highlands and in Argyll and work on developing alternatives to deer fencing to reduce the likelihood of birds flying into fences.

  Through the Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme, stewardship grants are made available in support of Biodiversity Action Plans to improve woodland biodiversity, meeting 60% of the standard costs (90% for special areas), of eligible forest operations such as fence removal.

  The award of almost £2.5 million from the EU LIFE-Nature fund in July 2002 supports a five-year project, which although focusing on capercaillie, will benefit all woodland grouse.

  The draft Nature Conservation Bill outlines proposals to protect established lek sites, crucial to the breeding success of the capercaillie and black grouse.

Birds

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the mating and living habits of black game and what plans it has to protect the bird in future.

Allan Wilson: A substantial amount of research has been done on black grouse, much of it reported in scientific journals. I have asked Scottish Natural Heritage to forward a detailed list of references, to the member.

  As regards protection measures, I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-321 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Birds

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of (a) the falling numbers of black game and (b) the impact of (i) shooting and (ii) changes in habitat on the numbers of black game.

Allan Wilson: A great deal of research on black grouse has been carried out by conservation organisations, informing the recommendations for protection of black grouse in the species action plan.

  I understand that Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) propose to undertake an assessment of the relative impact of deer fencing, habitat change and climate factors, as part of the next national survey and related work. SNH expect the survey to be conducted in 2005-06.

Birds

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive under what legislation black game is classified as a game bird and whether it has any plans to amend such legislation.

Allan Wilson: The black grouse is covered by the Game Acts, which fix a close season between 11 December and 19 August. There are currently no plans to change this legislation.

Birds

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why black game is treated differently from capercaillie with regard to the level of protection each species receives.

Allan Wilson: Until 2001, both the capercaillie and black grouse species were partially protected by a close season and by controls on hunting methods. However, in 2001, in response to the decline in the capercaillie population to fewer than 1,000 birds in Scotland, capercaillie, were given additional protection by listing the species in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Births, Deaths and Marriages

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) births, (b) births outside marriage, (c) births to teenagers, (d) marriages, (e) civil marriages, (f) divorces and (g) deaths broken down by gender there were in each year since 2000 and what the average (i) age at first marriage and (ii) length of marriage at divorce was in each year

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002* 
  



Births 
  

 53,076 
  

 52,527 
  

 51,272 
  



Births Outside Marriage 
  

 22,625 
  

 22,760 
  

 22,534 
  



Births to Teenage Mothers 
  

 4,599 
  

 4,444 
  

 4,195 
  



Marriages 
  

 30,367 
  

 29,621 
  

 29,827 
  



Civil Marriages 
  

 12,079 
  

 11,487 
  

 11,449 
  



Divorces 
  

 11,143 
  

 10,631 
  

 10,725 
  



Deaths – Males 
  

 27,511 
  

 27,324 
  

 27,743 
  



Deaths – Females 
  

 30,288 
  

 30,058 
  

 30,361 
  



Average Age at First Marriage - Males 
  

 30.5 
  

 30.7 
  

 31.0 
  



Average Age at First Marriage - Females 
  

 28.6 
  

 28.8 
  

 29.1 
  



Median Duration of Marriage at Divorce (Years) 
  

 13 
  

 13 
  

 14 
  



  Note:

  *Data for 2002 are provisional.

Dentistry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what conclusions it has reached as a result of its consultation on Towards Better Oral Health in Children and whether it is minded to add fluoride to the public water supply.

Malcolm Chisholm: An independent analysis of the 1,400 written responses to the consultation on Towards Better Oral Health in Children is currently in train. The analysis, which will be published when completed, will inform our consideration of the measures needed to improve the oral health of children in Scotland.

Dentistry

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure access to NHS dentistry for children in all areas of Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: Whilst acknowledging that there are problems with access to NHS dental services in some parts of Scotland, the Executive has in place a number of measures aimed at improving access. These include:

  the availability of grants under the Scottish Dental Access Initiative for dentists willing to set up or expand NHS practices in areas of poor access or high oral health need;

  the approval of salaried dentists, where an NHS Board or Primary Care NHS Trust considers that the existing provision is insufficient to meet the demands of the local population, and no independent general dental practitioner is available to fill the gap;

  a £1 million "golden hello" package, which includes payments to vocational trainees taking up vocational training in designated areas and payments to dentists who enter substantive general dental service practice within three months of completion of training, and

  a £3 million package of recruitment and retention measures, which includes the introduction of commitment payments for assistants and the raising of the earnings ceiling for seniority payments, both of which reward dentists for undertaking more NHS treatment.

  Discussions will continue with the dental profession on further recruitment and retention measures.

Dentistry

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in implementing a new fee structure for general dental practitioners to reflect more accurately the cost of dental treatment.

Malcolm Chisholm: We have introduced a number of individual measures to assist financially general dental practitioners in Scotland, including the new sedation and general dental practice allowances.

Digital Technology

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to the roll-out of broadband services to smaller rural exchanges.

Lewis Macdonald: Using the UK Broadband Fund, the Executive is currently supporting trials of a variety of different broadband delivery models suitable for remote and small communities. Additionally, we will shortly be bringing forward measures under the Executive’s £24 million Broadband Initiative to stimulate demand for broadband services generally and to subsidise the purchase by businesses of appropriate technologies. In certain circumstances, most notably remote and rural areas, these subsidies may be used to support the purchase of community-based solutions, such as wireless.

Economic Development

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set a target for economic growth in 2003-04 and 2004-05 and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Mr Jim Wallace: Scotland is an open economy, and our economic performance is inextricably linked to global economic conditions, therefore setting a target for growth over a limited period of time cannot take account of circumstances beyond our control and will not aid the delivery of longer term growth and prosperity. We want to avoid simplistic targets and focus on the fundamental conditions which are critical to maximising our sustainable growth in the medium and long term.

Economic Development

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what lessons have been learned in promoting economic development in 2002-03 and what new and remedial measures arising from any such lessons are now being taken.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is well aware that the Scottish Economy did not grow in 2002. There are no quick fixes and we are committed to creating the conditions to maximise sustainable economic growth in the medium and long term. A Smart, Successful Scotland,  our strategy for the Enterprise Networks, is crucial in delivering this and it is no coincidence that its focus on growing businesses, skills and learning and global connections is so similar to that advocated by Professor Michael Porter’s recent report to the DTI entitled UK Competitiveness, moving on to the next stage .

Economic Development

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to learn from Ireland's approach to the economic development of towns and cities of its west coast area in order to help the Highlands and Islands and other rural and deprived areas.

Mr Jim Wallace: In seeking to identify best practice, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Executive’s economic development agency in the Highlands and Islands, regularly reviews the approach of other rural development agencies in delivering various aspects of the A Smart, Successful Scotland strategic framework.

Further Education

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the intermediate technology institute in Aberdeen will commence activity and where it will be based.

Lewis Macdonald: Scottish Enterprise expects that the Energy Intermediary Technology Institute in Aberdeen will commence activity later this year. A number of locations in Aberdeen are currently under active consideration.

Hepatitis

Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in discussions with Her Majesty’s Government about financial assistance for people infected with hepatitis C as a result of NHS treatment.

Malcolm Chisholm: We are continuing discussions with the UK Government on this issue.

Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the allocation of waiting time points for tenants on housing association or council housing lists is in breach of human rights legislation.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive considers that the allocation of waiting time points for tenants is not in breach of human rights legislation.

Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the allocation of waiting time points for tenants on housing association or council housing lists is in contravention of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 does not preclude the use of waiting time points in allocation of housing by local authorities or Registered Social Landlords. The act does, however, require that reasonable preference is given to particular categories of applicants and that certain factors, such as the income or age of the applicant (provided the applicant is 16 years of age or over) and length of residence in the area are not taken into account. Beyond this statutory framework, landlords have discretion in drawing up their system of priorities for housing allocations.

Livestock

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports a derogation for the Isle of Arran in respect of the European Union regulations that would require that fallen livestock must be shipped off the island and, if so, whether it will pursue such a derogation.

Ross Finnie: The Executive issued a consultation document on 19 March inviting views on those areas of Scotland which might be classified as "remote" to benefit from a derogation under the EU Animal By-Products Regulation No. 1774/2002.

  Arran was not part of the original proposals for a possible derogation since the island is already covered by the BSE fallen stock surveillance arrangements. However, all replies are currently being assessed to inform the final definition of the "remote area". It will then be necessary to inform the European Commission as to how we intend to apply this derogation in Scotland.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS trusts had incurred a financial deficit at the end of 2002-03 and what the deficit of each such trust was.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following forecast positions have been received from the trusts in their March financial monitoring:

  


Trust 
  

Forecast Overspend (£000) 
  



Argyll and Clyde Acute 
  

5,204 
  



Lomond and Argyll Primary Care Trust 
  

1,926 
  



Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Primary Care Trust 
  

4,106 
  



Grampian Acute 
  

5,199 
  



Lanarkshire Acute 
  

6,261 
  



  NHS Argyll and Clyde are working to develop financial plans, which ensure a return to financial balance while protecting patient services.

  The forecast overspend by Grampian and Lanarkshire Acute Trusts are brought forward figures and are in line with financial plans which demonstrate how these amounts will be repaid.

NHS Staff

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support NHS boards in providing free return-to-practice training for (a) nurses, (b) pharmacists, (c) doctors, (d) dentists, (e) biochemists and (f) staff in other professions allied to medicine in order to increase staffing levels in the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is taking action to build capacity in NHSScotland. There are currently return-to-practice initiatives in place for nurses, pharmacists, doctors, dentists and professions allied to medicine.

  Biochemists are health care scientists and we are currently assisting this group to establish an effective forum which will provide an opportunity to identify their needs in relation to future service development, including recruitment and retention.

Police

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken, or remain to be taken, as a result of the most recent activity analysis undertaken by the police service.

Cathy Jamieson: The most recent activity analysis undertaken by the police service was in February 2003 in connection with assessment work around the tenders for a prisoner escort and court custody project. That project is still under consideration.

  The last general activity analysis covering all police activity was conducted in February 2001. Aggregated data from this exercise were provided by police forces to inform the review of distribution of police Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE). On the basis of this and other data, the Review Working Group made some provisional recommendations in September 2002, which informed police GAE allocations for 2003-04 to 2005-06. The group is expected to make final recommendations by March 2004.

Police

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers are deployed and how many such officers were deployed (a) one year ago and (b) two years ago per head of population in the (i) Falkirk, (ii) Stirling and (iii) Clackmannanshire local authority area.

Cathy Jamieson: This is a matter for Central Scotland Police. The information requested is not held centrally.

Police

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many neighbourhood watch schemes there are and, if this information is not held centrally, where it may be obtained.

Hugh Henry: Information on the number of Neighbourhood Watch schemes in Scotland is not held centrally. However, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) has provided the following figures for each police force area:

  


Grampian 
  

716 
  



Lothian and Borders 
  

873 
  



Northern 
  

25 (aiming for 50 by end 2003) 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

428 
  



Strathclyde 
  

1,227 
  



Fife 
  

245 
  



Tayside 
  

368 
  



Central 
  

161 
  



Total 
  

4,043

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether designating HM Prison Kilmarnock as a public authority under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 would constitute prison legislation altering the costs incurred by the contractor in fulfilling its obligations under the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Managing and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock and therefore require a variation of price under section 33 of the minute of agreement.

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether including HM Prison Kilmarnock in schedule 1A of the Race Relations Act 1976 by an order under section 71(5) of the act would constitute prison legislation altering the costs incurred by the contractor in fulfilling its obligations under the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Managing and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock and therefore require a variation of price under section 33 of the minute of agreement.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-27403 by Mr Jim Wallace on 2 August 2002, whether it has received any further notices under paragraph 6.8 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock and, if so, what the date was of any such notice.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Yes. The notice was dated 30 January 2003.

Public Private Partnerships

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to determine which operators of public private partnership schools will be designated as public authorities under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to determine which operators of private prisons will be designated as public authorities under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to determine which operators of public private partnership hospitals will be designated as public authorities under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Tavish Scott: No such criteria have yet been drawn up. As indicated to Parliament during the passage of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, the power to designate private companies exercising public functions as a public authority for the purpose of the act is one that we intend to exercise in due course.

Public Private Partnerships

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether designation of operators of existing public private partnership schools as public authorities under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 would constitute either a discriminatory change of law or a specific change of law, as defined in the Scottish Schools Standard PPP Contract.

Mr Andy Kerr: Although the Scottish Schools Standard PPP Contract (SSSC) is a standardised contract, there are project specific issues and the SSSC is tailored into a contract which is agreed individually for each Schools PPP project. It is for the courts to interpret any contract if and when an issue is presented. Interpretation of one clause may depend upon other parts of the contract.

Public Private Partnerships

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether including existing public private partnership schools in schedule 1A of the Race Relations Act 1976 by an order under section 71(5) of the act would constitute either a discriminatory change of law or a specific change of law, as defined in the Scottish Schools Standard PPP Contract

Ms Margaret Curran: Only the Secretary of State has the power to make an order under 71(5) and, therefore, any question of extending Schedule 1A is a matter for the UK Parliament.

  It is for the courts to interpret the Scottish Schools Standard PPP Contract (SSSC), as with any other contract, if and when an issue is presented. Although the SSSC is a standardised contract, there are project specific issues and the SSSC is completed and agreed individually for each Schools PPP project. Interpretation of one clause may depend upon other parts of the contract.

Public Private Partnerships

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the contracts for all existing public private partnerships (PPP) projects, including those made by public authorities other than by it, are available to the Parliament subject to deletion of matters that are commercially confidential.

Mr Andy Kerr: All public authorities should comply with best practice on openness. The majority of PPP projects are with public authorities other than the Scottish Executive. It is the responsibility of individual public authorities to develop their own proposals for making relevant documents to their PPP projects publicly available. Information should only be withheld where disclosure would cause real harm to the legitimate commercial or legal interests of suppliers, contractors, the public sector client or any other relevant party.

  In due course ministers will issue a code of practice under section 60 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. This will provide guidance to authorities on discharging their responsibilities under the act.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was received from the Strategic Rail Authority for (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 and what percentage this represents of the authority's total budget in each year.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which projects received funding from the Strategic Rail Authority for (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 and how much each project received.

Nicol Stephen: The provision of funds for the UK rail network is a reserved matter. The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has administered funding on a UK basis since it was established in 2001. The SRA publish their strategic plan annually, a copy of the 2002 and 2003 documents are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 18609, 26628 and 26626). The strategic plan sets out the projects that the SRA is seeking to support in Scotland.

Rail Network

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts have been made in recent years to progress the extension of the Eurostar train service to Glasgow.

Nicol Stephen: International and European rail services are a reserved matter and as such are the responsibility of the Strategic Rail Authority. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Strategic Rail Authority on a wide range of important issues.

Renewable Energy

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support the development of sub-sea renewable energy manufacturing capability.

Lewis Macdonald: The Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland, which I will chair, will work with the industry and the new Energy Intermediary Technology Institute to produce a development plan for the marine energy industry in Scotland. Particular attention will be given to the potential to build on synergies between Scotland’s existing offshore expertise from the UK Continental Shelf and new offshore renewables technologies. We have also provided £2.125 million to help establish a Marine Energy Test Centre off Orkney.

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how, by whom, and according to what criteria motorway lighting columns are checked and what monitoring of compliance with these criteria is carried out and by whom.

Nicol Stephen: The condition of motorway lighting columns is checked by the trunk road operating companies during regular maintenance inspections. The inspection and maintenance requirements for road lighting are specified in paragraph 2.16 of Schedule 7 Part 1 of the Trunk Road Maintenance Contract, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number. 16573), and the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges – Volume 8 , TD23/99.

  The performance of the operating companies in complying with these requirements is monitored by the independent Performance Audit Group.

Security Industry

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34716 by Mr Jim Wallace on 25 March 2003, what the timetable is for extending the remit of the Security Industry Authority to Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: I am in contact with the Home Secretary to find a suitable legislative vehicle in the UK Parliament to allow this legislation to be brought forward.

Taxation

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements currently apply in respect of business and council tax reductions on vacant properties.

Mr Andy Kerr: For non-domestic rates, the legislation governing unoccupied property relief is contained within section 24 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966, and the Non-Domestic Rating (Unoccupied Property) (Scotland) Regulations 1994 (No. 3200) (amended in 2000 to increase the rateable value limit for exempt empty properties to £1,700). For council tax the relevant legislation is contained in section 79 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Waste Management

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to prevent any double accounting in the packaging waste recovery note scheme.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Waste Management

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s application of the packaging waste recovery and packaging waste export recovery note schemes is different from that of the environment agency and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Ross Finnie: The detailed administration of these schemes within Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, which operates within the packaging regulations that are very similar in Scotland and in England and Wales.

Waste Management

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to issue operational guidance in respect of the packaging waste recovery note scheme; whether it consults or liases with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) when issuing any such guidance, and whether the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency follows directions issued by the Executive, DEFRA or the environment agency in respect of administering the scheme.

Ross Finnie: The Executive may issue guidance on the application of The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997. It is currently liasing with DEFRA on the production of a joint "User’s Guide" to those regulations to replace existing guidance. However, the new guidance is unlikely to be issued until after prospective changes to the regulations, to be consulted on in summer, are introduced.

  The Scottish Environment Protection Agency may only be directed by the Scottish ministers. They have not issued any directions in respect of packaging matters. Were they to give a direction, SEPA would be required to comply with it in terms of section 40(8) of the Environment Act 1995.

Waste Management

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether sufficient funding is in place to administer the packaging waste recovery note scheme.

Ross Finnie: The packaging recovery note scheme is administered by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Its costs of administering the packaging recovery scheme as a whole are met by cost-recovery registration fees paid to it by companies with a packaging recovery obligation under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997.

  These fees are reviewed regularly. A consultation exercise on changes to the regulations proposed for this summer will include discussion of a new fee structure.

Waste Management

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has sufficient staff to administer the packaging waste recovery note scheme.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency determines the level of resources that it allocates to the administration of this scheme, such that it can be effectively administered.

Waste Management

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from Her Majesty’s Government regarding the findings of the European Commission in relation to complaint 2000/4337 concerning sewage discharges into Kilbarchan Burn.

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has made to Her Majesty’s Government concerning, the formal notice sent under article 226 of the EC Treaty regarding the Executive’s not ensuring compliance with article 3(1), 3(2) and Annex 1(a) of directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban waste water treatment and the discharge of sewage into the Kilbarchan Burn, and, if no such response has been made, when one is anticipated.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is currently in discussion with Her Majesty’s Government on an alleged breach of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.

Waste Management

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to ensure that Scottish Water complies with directive 91/271/EEC in relation to the Kilbarchan Burn.

Ross Finnie: Scottish Water is legally obliged to comply with this directive under the requirements of The Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994 as amended (the 1994 regulations), which transposed the directive into Scottish law.

  Scottish ministers have powers to issue orders to Scottish Water under regulation 14 of the 1994 Regulations, if they are satisfied that it has failed to fulfil the requirements of the 1994 regulations.

  The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has regulatory powers to ensure that Scottish Water complies with its discharge consents.

Waste Management

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the role of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in granting permission to the former West of Scotland Water Authority to discharge sewage into the Kilbarchan Burn.

Ross Finnie: Under the Control of Pollution Act (1974), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is obliged to advertise its intention to consent discharges. At this time, the public has an opportunity to make representations to SEPA about the proposed discharge consent.

  The Scottish Executive does not plan to investigate this matter further. We are satisfied that the procedure followed by SEPA when consenting discharges is robust and transparent.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Parliament Contracts

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what the current situation is regarding the Parliament’s mail service and what the timescale is for renewal and implementation of the mail contracts.

Mr George Reid: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will be considering the mail service on 17 June and the timetable for renewal and implementation of the mail contracts will be dependant on decisions taken.